Islamic State group, affiliates expanding control in Africa: Top UN counterterrorism official

In a recent incident of a security nightmare in Austrian capital Vienna, two suspects were apprehended with intentions to bomb the shows of singer Taylor Swift who was scheduled to perform in the country from Thursday to Saturday.

But an investigation by the Vienna authorities has revealed that there was no known connection between the alleged plot to attack Taylor Swift shows in Vienna and the group or its affiliates elsewhere in the world.

Though the findings suggested that both the suspects who were involved in the planning of the attack were influenced by the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda.

Voronkov further detailed about Islamic State’s expansion in Africa and said, “A vast territory stretching from Mali to northern Nigeria could fall under their effective control if their influence continues,” according to Associated Press.

He also told the council about Islamic State’s Afghanistan affiliate ISIS-K, which in the past six months, has been able to “improve its financial and logistical capabilities and increase its recruitment in the outfit”.

Voronkov said that Islamic State has also expanded its footprints in Mozambique, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo where terrorist attacks have increased dramatically in the recent past.